Correct, the rears are a one-piece hub and bearing assembly. Remove the brake rotor, remove the axle nut, remove 4 bolts in the rear, go to town on it with a big hammer, and out it comes.

Why can’t you just hook the puller behind the outside flange on the hub and pull it off?

Any ideas on this? Thanks.

If you floor it shouldn’t stall, it should just take off.

You can, in theory. Just depends on the vehicle. Sometimes when you unbolt them, they just fall out. Sometimes they need a little persuasion with a big hammer. Sometimes they need fire, cussing, and a sledgehammer. They're not pressed in, just bolted in, but they get corroded in, or the factory uses some sort of locktite-type stuff on them.

Jayme,
I'm confused. Why do you want to check the torque converter in the transmission?

sorry i meant transfer case.

Pull the drain plug and examine the fluid in the PTU. Usually when they're burned up,.nothing comes out at all because it's completely gelled up, or you'll get a few drops that look like metallic black paint. It's supposed to be gear oil, 75w140 if I remember correctly.

Thanks. I'll have them check on that.

Please let us know what the condition of the gear lube is. Thanks!

It's at the mechanic's right now. Since it's the most expensive of all the options, and since I know how my luck is, I'm sure that it'll be the problem.

They are notorious for wheel bearings. We had a Lincoln MKX, (same thing) did the wheel bearing numerous times. My buddy had one, same thing. Gave it to my neighbor when we finally got a different rig for my wife, and first thing he did was wheel bearings on it. They aren't that hard to replace, but if you buy cheap bearings you will get super good at it. Good bearings last a while. I put some Amazon bearings in it once that didn't last 2 weeks.

Just an update. While installing a new PTU, he found an oil leak, so after getting the PTU changed (which did nothing for the noise BTW), he tracked down the leak and found it coming from some little water port... meaning the head gasket is bad, or the head is cracked, or the block.... and it's still making the fricken noise, still needs aligned and tire... AND ... so we've put enough $ in it... scraping it and looking for something different for her to drive. Sending the PTU back....

Now we will never know....

Now don't go buying any more Fords!

Do the tires have cupping? Cupped tires can sound like bad wheel bearings.